TO A GOOD TIME

DISCOVER THE CRISP, CITRUSY OR BITTER WORLD OF BEER THROUGH HOMEGROWN BRANDS

- BY SMITA TRIPATHI

SAY “BEER” AND watch faces brighten. Pour a glass and smiles get bigger. No wonder this often pale, bubbly drink is the third most consumed beverage worldwide after water and tea.

Familiar, friendly, and endlessly tweakable, beer is a crowd-pleaser with room for every palate—from crisp and clean to dark and dessert-like. Some of the most popular varieties include lagers which ferment cold and clean—one reason they dominate India’s mass market. Pilsners, a Czech-born subset, are golden and hop-forward with a snappy, bitter finish. Wheat beers soften that edge with a cushion of protein and haze. The better ones carry notes of banana, clove, or orange peel, a pleasant fit for long summers. Pale ales are amber, balanced, and moderate in bitterness.

Then there are Indian pale ales, or IPAs, called so because they were produced in England and consumed to endure the long sea voyage to Indian ports. They now range from citrusy to resinous and often have higher alcohol content. Stouts are dark, rich beers that often feature roasted malt flavours, with notes of coffee, chocolate, and caramel. They can range from dry and bitter to sweet and creamy, depending on the brewing process and ingredients used. Porters are similar to stouts with their dark colour and roasted malt flavours, but tend to be lighter in body and less intense in flavour. Belgian-style ales are known for complex flavours, which can include fruity, spicy, and earthy notes. They are often brewed with unique yeast strains that impart distinctive characteristics to the beer.